Scott County Nursing Center earns top designation

WINCHESTER — A Winchester nursing home has received a “Best Nursing Homes” designation from a U.S. News and World Report annual study.

Scott County Nursing Center ranked in the top 10 percent of the 725 nursing homes ranked on the state list, something Nursing Home Administrator Debbie O’Dell attributes to the facility’s strong, competent and caring staff.

“I have a very low rollover in staff in all departments, from upper management down to housekeeping,” O’Dell said. “They’re familiar with the residents and they’re familiar and educated on the processes of customer service. They work with compassion and they’re dedicated like no other.”

U.S. News and World Report ranks the facilities on a scale of 1 to 5 based on data collected by the federal Nursing Home Compare program on a 10-month average. In 2017, the publication separated their scale into 0.5 increments. What really pushed the center over the edge to secure that overall rating of “top performing” from the publication was its “health inspections and complaints” section.

According to the data collected, the center received only one violation or complaint in January 2015, none in February 2016, and only five in December 2016. For comparison, the state average for January and February of those years was eight and the U.S average was seven; for December it was nine statewide and seven nationally.

The 49-bed facility generally serves around 35 people from inside and outside of Scott County. With around 60 full-time employees, the center has more staff than the state requires of most facilities.

Data shows that Scott County Nursing Center spends, on average, 52 minutes more per resident per day than the state average. Residents there also receive more time from licensed practical nurses, vocational nurses and certified nurse aides. The only mark against the facility in the study was that residents received 20 minutes less time from registered nurses than the state average.

The facility also scored above average in medical care quality measures and fire safety.

Scott County Nursing Center is one of the few county-owned facilities in the state — most are for-profit ventures or city/county partnerships — and also is one of the few down-state facilities to receive the designation.

O’Dell thanked her staff for making the award possible.

“How do you take someone’s life of 80 or more years and make them happy? You do that with your employees,” O’Dell said. “You employ the right people.”

Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper.